Eastern Slovenia surprises Tam with its gentle, magical beauty and unexpectedly exciting wines. See here for an introduction to this remarkable wine region.
What surprised me most about the wines that I tasted was how instantly appealing they were. I'd expected something more rustic, lots of over-enthusiastic oaking, flabbiness and plenty of residual sugar. Instead there was a brightness, as if the sunlight and the wide skies had been pressed into the vats right along with the grapes.
Styles varied from very sweet to bone dry, with some rather delicious fizz making an unexpected appearance. But for the most part, these...